Cap firing noise maker

ABSTRACT

A noisemaker assembly that fires exploding caps that are contained within a roll of exploding caps. The noisemaker assembly is operated by being manually spun in a user&#39;s hand. The noisemaker assembly includes a handle and a platform that is pivotably connected to the handle so that it can be spun about the handle. A hammer arm is present on the platform. The hammer arm cocks and strikes an impact surface on the platform at least once each time that the platform rotates around the handle. A mechanism is provided on the platform that advances caps across said position impacted by the hammer arm. In this manner, the hammer arm repeatedly strikes the advancing caps as the noisemaker assembly is spun. The hammer arm ignites the caps, thereby rapidly firing the caps contained within the roll of caps.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to novelty devices that fire caps. More particularly, the present invention relates to novelty devices that continuously fire caps from a roll of caps.

2. Prior Art Description

Noisemakers are often used as party favors and at celebrations such as New Years Eve and birthdays. The purpose of a noisemaker is to make loud noise for a prolonged period of time. Noisemakers come in a variety of styles and shapes. Some noisemakers are blown to make noise. Other noisemakers make noise when they are manually spun. Such spun noisemakers typically include a handle and some type of head structure that generates noise when the head structure is rotated about the handle.

Although blown and spun noisemakers are loud, their volume is generally limited by their structure. It has been noticed that exploding caps are capable of making louder, more prolonged noises than traditional handheld noisemakers. The present invention incorporates caps into a handheld noisemaker, thereby making the noisemaker louder and more fun to use. The details of the present invention are described and claimed below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a noisemaker assembly that fires exploding caps that are contained within a roll of exploding caps. The noisemaker assembly is operated by being manually spun in a user's hand. The noisemaker assembly includes a handle and a platform that is pivotably connected to the handle so that it can be spun about the handle. The platform is configured to retain a roll of exploding caps. A hammer arm is present on the platform. The hammer arm cocks and strikes an impact surface on the platform at least once each time that the platform rotates around the handle.

A mechanism is provided on the platform that advances caps from the roll of caps across said position impacted by the hammer arm. In this manner, the hammer arm repeatedly strikes the advancing caps as the noisemaker assembly is spun. The hammer arm ignites the caps, thereby rapidly firing the caps contained within the roll of caps.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in conjunction with a roll of caps;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmented top view showing the exemplary embodiment in a cocked condition; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmented top view of the exemplary embodiment after just having ignited a cap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an exemplary embodiment of the present invention novelty noisemaker 10. The novelty noisemaker 10 has a handle 12 that is held in a user's hand. A head assembly 14 is connected to the handle 12 with a pivot connection. Accordingly, the head assembly 14 can be rotated around the top of the handle 12 by manually manipulating the handle 12 in a circular manner.

The head assembly 14 has two opposite ends. The head assembly 14 is coupled to the handle 12 proximate one end. An offset weight 20 is present at the opposite end of the head assembly 14. The offset weight 20 provides momentum to the head assembly 14 that helps keep the head assembly 14 rotating once it begins to spin a top the handle 12. In the shown embodiment, the offset weight 20 is a ball. However, it will be understood that the offset weight 20 can have any shape, such as an airplane or a figure head.

Referring to FIG. 2 in conjunction with FIG. 1, it can be seen that the head assembly 14 includes a platform 22. The platform 22 has a top surface 24 and a bottom surface (not shown). The offset weight 20 extends from one end of the platform 22.

At the opposite end of the platform 22 is the connection to the handle 12. The handle 12 is coupled to the platform 22 at a pivot connection 16. In this manner, the platform 22, and all it supports, is free to rotate about the top of the handle 12.

A large gear 28 is positioned under the platform 22. The large gear 28 rotates about a central axle 30. The central axle 30 extends up through the platform 22. The large gear 28 has a top surface 29 that faces the bottom surface 26 of the platform 22. An offset pin 32 extends upwardly from the top surface 29 of the large gear 28.

A small gear 34 is affixed to the top of the handle 12. The small gear 34 intermeshes with the large gear 28 under the platform 22. The large gear 28 is supported by the platform 22. The small gear 34 is supported by the handle 12. Accordingly, it will be understood that when the platform 22 rotates about the handle 12, the small gear 34 remains stationary and the large gear 28 turns around the small gear 34.

The large gear 28 is attached to its central axle 30. Accordingly, when the large gear 28 turns the axle 30 turns. A roller 36 is provided on the top of the platform 22. The roller 36 is coupled to the axle 30 of the large gear 28. Consequently, when the large gear 28 rotates, the axle 30 rotates and the roller 36 rotates. The roller 36 is seated between a vertical guide wall 38 and an anvil wall 40 that extend vertically from the top surface 24 of the platform 22. As will be later explained, the roller 36, the guide wall 38 and the anvil wall 40 combine to guide and advance a line of exploding caps during operation.

A hammer arm 42 is provided. The hammer arm 42 has two ends. At one end of the hammer arm is an impact head 44. At the opposite end of the hammer arm 42 is a vertical shaft 46. A spring 48 is provided that biases the impact head 44 of the hammer arm 42 against the anvil wall 40.

The second end of the hammer arm 42 is rigidly affixed to a vertical shaft 46. The vertical shaft 46 descends through the platform 22 and is coupled to a lever arm 50 under the platform 22. The lever arm 50 and the hammer arm 42 are therefore rigidly interconnected by the vertical shaft 46. In this manner, when the lever arm 50 is moved under the platform 22, a corresponding movement is created in the hammer arm 42 above the platform 22.

A cap cover 52 is provided. The cap cover 52 is connected to the platform 22 with a pivot connection 54. The cap cover 52 can be selectively rotated between an open position for loading and a closed position for firing. When in the open position, the cap cover 52 is rotated out of the way so that a roll of caps 60 can be loaded into the noisemaker 10. Once the roll of caps 60 is loaded, the cap cover 52 can be rotated over the roll of caps 60 to prevent the roll of caps 60 from inadvertently falling away from the cap cover 52.

To load a roll of caps 60, a roll of caps 60 is first provided. The roll of caps 60 is a unit of standard caps of the type used by conventional toy cap guns. The roll of caps 60 is placed around a spool pin 62 that extends upwardly from the platform 22. The roll of caps 60 is threaded between the cap roller 36 and the vertical guide wall 38. The roll of caps 60 is then advanced between the anvil wall 40 and the hammer arm 42.

Referring to FIG. 3 in conjunction with FIG. 2, it will be understood that as the head assembly 14 spins around the handle 12, the large gear 28 turns. The turning of the large gear 28 makes the roller 36 turn. The turning of the roller 36 moves the roll of caps 60 forward as the individual caps unwind. Furthermore, as the large gear 28 turns, the offset pin 32 on the top of the large gear 28 comes into contact with the lever arm 50. This causes the lever arm 50 to rotate. As the lever arm 50 rotates, the hammer arm 42 also rotates. The hammer arm 42 moves in the direction of arrow 64 into a cocked position away from the caps and the anvil wall 40.

Referring to FIG. 4 in conjunction with FIG. 3, it can be seen that as the large gear 28 rotates, the pin 32 on the large gear 28 eventually pulls away from the lever arm 50. The disengagement is sudden. Once disengaged, the bias of the spring 48 causes the hammer arm 42 to rapidly strike a single cap 66 from the roll of caps 60. The cap 66 is compressed in between the hammer arm 42 and the anvil wall 40. The impact ignites the cap 66 causing a loud bang. As the head assembly 14 continues to rotate around the handle 12, the line of caps 60 continues to advance and the hammer arm 42 continues to cock and release. The hammer arm 42 therefore strikes a cap 66 as quickly as the head assembly 14 can be rotated. Accordingly, several caps 66 can be struck in just a few seconds by spinning the head assembly 14 quickly around the handle 12.

It will be understood that the embodiment of the present invention that is illustrated is merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art can make many variations to that embodiment. For instance, the shape of the offset weight, the platform and the handle can be varied as a matter of design choice. The intermeshing gears can be replaced by contacting wheels. All such variations, modifications and alternate embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. 

1. A noisemaker assembly that fires exploding caps contained within a roll of exploding caps, said noisemaker assembly comprising: a handle; a platform supported by said handle, wherein said platform can rotate about said handle, and wherein said platform retains said roll of exploding caps; a hammer arm that cocks and strikes a surface on said platform at least once each time said platform is rotated on said handle; and a mechanism that advances caps from said roll of exploding caps across said position impacted by said hammer arm.
 2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said handle engages said platform proximate a first end of said platform.
 3. The assembly according to claim 2, further including an offset weight coupled to said platform at a second end of said platform that is opposite said first end.
 4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said mechanism that advances caps includes a roller that contacts said roll of exploding caps, wherein said roller rotates as said platform rotates on said handle.
 5. The assembly according to claim 1, further including a vertical wall extending upwardly from said platform wherein said surface impacted by said hammer arm is along said vertical wall.
 6. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said handle has a first gear attached thereto.
 7. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein said first gear intermeshes with a second gear supported by said platform, wherein said second gear is turned by said first gear when said platform rotates about said handle.
 8. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein said hammer arm is biased into contact with said surface by a spring.
 9. The assembly according to claim 8, wherein said hammer arm is periodically moved against said spring to said cocked position by said second gear.
 10. A noisemaker assembly comprising: a handle; a platform coupled to said handle with a pivot connection that enables said platform to rotate about said handle; an impact surface supported by said platform; a hammer arm that periodically strikes said impact surface as said platform rotates about said handle.
 11. The assembly according to claim 10, further including a structure on said platform for holding a roll of caps that contains a plurality of exploding caps.
 12. The assembly according to claim 11, further including a mechanism for advancing said exploding caps proximate said impact surface, wherein said exploding caps are ignited by said hammer arm.
 13. The assembly according to claim 10, further including an offset weight coupled to said platform.
 14. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein said mechanism for advancing said exploding caps includes a roller that contacts said roll of caps, wherein said roller rotates as said platform rotates on said handle.
 15. The assembly according to claim 10, wherein said handle has a first gear attached thereto.
 16. The assembly according to claim 15, wherein said first gear intermeshes with a second gear supported by said platform, wherein said second gear is turned by said first gear when said platform rotates about said handle.
 17. A method of sequentially firing exploding caps contained within a roll of caps, said method comprising the steps of: providing a handheld device having a handle, a roller, a hammer arm and an impact surface; loading said roll of caps onto said handheld device; spinning said handheld device about said handle, wherein the spinning of said handheld device causes said hammer arm to periodically strike said impact surface, and wherein said roller advances said roll of caps toward said impact surface.
 18. The method according to claim 17, further including the step of providing an offset weight that provides momentum to said handheld device as said handheld device spins. 